As Novaya Gazeta, one of Russia’s best-known independent newspapers, is forced to close after 33 years, three former staffers look back on its legacy

Novaya Gazeta, a well-known independent Russian newspaper, announced its closure after 33 years. Throughout its existence, the paper covered Russia's most significant events and reported on stories that weren't accessible elsewhere. Many exceptional journalists worked at Novaya, some of whom faced threats or death for their work.

Meduza interviewed former Novaya Gazeta journalists Ekaterina Glikman, Elena Kostyuchenko, and Nadya Yurova to discuss the newspaper's 30-year legacy. Glikman, who worked at Novaya from 2002 to 2022, reminisced about the 1990s when the newspaper was at its peak. She appreciated the individualistic style and opinionated articles, which allowed readers to recognize each writer's voice.

Glikman's first university internship was at Novaya in 1998, and she admired the work of journalists like Yuri Shchekochikhin. She joined Novaya in 2002 and worked in the investigations department, where she covered various high-stakes stories, including Kuzbass miners' deaths and a wrongful prison sentence in Kamchatka. Glikman highlighted that Novaya played a crucial role in uncovering government corruption and protecting whistleblowers, leading to the removal of ministers like Yevgeny Adamov.

Despite the challenges of low salaries and the shift towards sensationalist media, Novaya remained a vital source of objective information and alternative perspectives.